Promise
by Kikaromi
Summary: "A promise made is a debt unpaid," as the saying goes. And as the debt is paid, one may not survive. Collaboration with Mayogumi of Tumblr. Character Death inside.


_**This was a collaboration between myself and my good friend Mayogumi from tumblr. This was based on an idea we had a while of what would happen dare Samurai Warriors Magoichi venture into Sengoku Basara. This was the result.**_

_**The Page Breaks will separate the sections of where she wrote and I did, but here's an easier way to tell the difference: the parts with Sengoku Basara's Keiji as the focus are her parts and the top part and the one of Mago is mine.  
**_

_**-o-x-o- equals a time skip  
**_

* * *

"_I'll make ya a deal. When I screw up and my final moments are here, I'll let you deal the finishing blow. Sound good?"_

_ "Fine."_

* * *

"Magoichi! Magoichi!"

Keiji had been looking for his ladykiller friend, checking uphill-downhill, prying open every bar he passed by, asking anyone who might've seen him. How could he just disappear like that? No way he could've just slipped out of town after a few drinks… or could he? The man had told him how much of a wanderer and a loner he was, how he was used to it and all. But, no. Keiji promised he'd never leave him. He'd always stay by his side. Didn't he say that? The vagabond's worry grew and grew by the minute. _Where was he..!_

Was he too late? Has something bad happened to Mago? Who would know…

…_he might._

It was a hunch, one that he would take and make a run for his money for.

-o-x-o-

"_SAY WHAT_?" Date looked at the exhausted vagabond before him.

"Have you… seen Magoichi..? I…" Keiji tried talking normally under his breath, clutching at his knees as he spoke between deep inhales and exhales. "I can't… I can't find him anywhere..! I'm worried… he might be… in trouble, or..!"

Keiji stopped with the look in Date's visible eye. The one-eyed dragon's gaze pierced through him, a look of cold sorrow in it. Keiji had not seen this before, and felt the hairs on his back stand on end. For some reason, a painful something stung inside him… what could this be..?

"Outta the way, Keiji," the dragon finally said after a while.

"D-Dokuganryuu—"

"I said _STEP OFF_."

Date moved passed the crouched man, his armor clinking as he walked. The sound resonated in the vagabond's ears. It should be normal, but this time it scared him—scared him, his knees shook.

"Dokuganryuu, where are you—?"

"Isn't it obvious, Maeda?" Date said, his tone suddenly icy. "I'm off to get my prize."

Keiji looked at his one-eyed friend in confusion. What prize? What's with this sudden seriousness? Date's never said his name like that before.

"What—"

"And I made a promise to that bastard," he continued, this time turning his back at the vagabond.

And at that, Keiji understood.

"No. No, Dokuganryuu, what are you thinking—!"

"Kojuuro."

The Migime appeared right behind them, his stance and his gaze firm at his lord. "Sir."

Keiji didn't like the look of this. The continuous sweating on his forehead told him he didn't.

"Don't let him get in my way." Date stepped forward.

"Yes, sir."

Obedient as always, the right eye was. Keiji, however, wouldn't just sit there and be a good boy about it. Not this time.

"Dokuganryuu!" The vagabond lunged forward, attempting to stop the dragon from taking another step. "Think this over, Dokuganryuu—!"

"Maeda!" Kojuuro held fast at the vagabond.

"Migime! Please, let go..!"

"I'm sorry, Maeda," the right eye said sincerely, his grip tightening on the bulky man. "But I can't just let you do as you please."

"Damn it, Migime!" Keiji grunted, trying to wriggle himself from the other man's grasp. Normally he could just throw him off and make a run for it, but something seemed to be seeping his strength… his feet trembled, and his hands quaked. "Damn it!"

"If he resists, Kojuuro," Date said out loud without looking at them, already mounted on his steed, "tie him up. _TIGHT_. And keep him like that till I get back."

"Understood, sir." Good boy, Kojuuro.

"Dokuganryuu, listen..!"

"_Joto_," the dragon muttered, ignoring the Maeda's cries. Without a last look, he kicked at the horse's side and he was off. "HAH!"

"Dokuganryuu! Dokuganryuu!" Keiji yelled out, his voice cracking as he tried to reach for the disappearing figure. He yanked and gripped at the right eye's arms, trying to set them off. "Dokuganryuu! MASAMUNE!"

Just then, he felt a blunt pain at the back of his neck, and he fell into pitch black nothingness.

* * *

It sucked. Being a stone's throw away from home and inevitably never greeting your father a last time? Even an emotionless shell of a dying man felt a shred of sadness. He suffered from a gunshot wound piercing a spot on his heart, blood leaking through the hole where the bullet swept clean through. This man rivaled his own talents; the mystery shooter shot a moving target with perfect accuracy, and he'd walk away hands clean. Lady Luck must've chosen a new favorite.

With his heart losing its beat rapidly, he was reduced to scaling the various trees outside the Saika Village, arms extended to percept gaps between barks. Bloodshot eyes were just about useless in the aspect of their normal function, thus sound and touch were the last tools at his disposal. However, as time went on, just the thought of taking a step became painful, and the actual motion increased the pain tenfold. A sad way to die indeed.

But the saddest thing of all? He'd die alone.

He was born alone.

The majority of his life was spent alone.

And to top it off, this journey would end just as it began: alone.

There weren't any objections concerning the trivial matter. Renegades chose the path of loneliness to keep food on the table, and possibly meet a few others like them on the road. And by meeting these people, the world wouldn't be as unaccepting as the start of the path. He'd know that first-hand. Assisting the "unpopular" lords created bonds with those you might see once or twice in your lifetime, but even spotting a breathing human meant a lot.

Speaking of breathing, he wasn't having the best time completing the most essential and easiest task in life. The extra blood his heart leaked both inside and outside his body was clotting in random areas and blocking arteries as a result. To think, a single shot completely destroyed his entire existence…and this would all happen without a single person knowing. He'd leave this world breaking a promise, a morbid one, but a promise no less. Considering what little words he could speak, what could he change?

Collapsing onto the soft, recently red-tinted grass, the sounds of another's footsteps met his ears. Sounds of an armored boot rang through the silence, stopping as it approached him. Their master stood there frozen; was it someone who knew him? Everything looked a shade of red and blurry; he couldn't make out his own hands in front of his face.

"Hey there…how're ya?" He greeted, doing his best to smile.

Whoever hovered over him grunted, clicking their tongue in distaste. They stepped closer, kneeling down to meet him at an eye level. Right away he noticed the eye patch covering his right eye, driving his muddled thoughts to speculate who this person might be. The two people he knew who wore an eye patch were his lord, Masamune, and his much taller counterpart who hated his very fiber, Date. This man (ladies weren't so tall, so it had to be a man observing him) matched his height, so…

"Da…te?"

"_Yeah._" Date replied, gaze narrowing, "I found these thugs talking their prey of the day and I followed your trail here." He then stifled a laugh, almost seeming amused instead of worried, "You sure know how to up and disappear, Mago. I probably wouldn't be here if Keiji wasn't hounding me 'bout how you suddenly went missing."

…Keiji was worried? Hmm. He misjudged the actions he took preceding the events that led up to him taking a bullet. Though considering the time they spent together and the sights they shared, any sort of prolonged absence left seeds of doubt in their wake. Doubts aside, why was Date the one to come searching for him? If Keiji got himself wondering where he left, why didn't he investigate himself? …Magoichi's mind couldn't organize his thoughts anymore. All of his thoughts together were like a puzzle missing hundreds of pieces.

"Ha…figures. He's such…" The word he wanted to say refused to come out; he let that sentence hang, "Well…at least…I kept…our promise…right?"

Date scowled, his hand instinctively grabbing the hilt of his top left "claw." Oshu's Hittou wished the bloody promise he made with Magoichi wouldn't need to be fulfilled too song, but he was powerless. No amount of medical attention had a chance of saving Mago after losing vast amounts of blood and the remaining drops clotting to worsen his condition. The crow's salvation rested on a swift and painless end; a thing their promise ensured.

"Before I hold up my end, something's bugging me. Why'd you ask me to kill you?" Date asked, hardly understanding Magoichi's logic, "If you wanted one of your enemies to kill you, why not pick one closer and save me the trouble?"

Magoichi burst out laughing before his laugh turned into a blood-filled coughing spree; Date stood rooted on the spot. He recovered his breathing after a few more coughs, clearing throat to speak, "'Cause I wanted two things. First, I wanted to die with at least someone I know who doesn't completely despise me around. At the same time, I wanted this person to hate me enough so he couldn't care if they killed me. Sounds like you, right?"

Talking so fluently tore at his lungs, depleting the limited amount of air left inside. Breathing heavily barely gathered the oxygen required to take another breath, and the frequent coughs interrupted the breaths he prepared. If Magoichi wasn't lying before a "friend," he'd be crying or screaming out of fear of dying a second time. He once cheated death by enlisting the aid of the Goddess Kaguya, but she left years ago. This time, death meant a permanent end.

…And he couldn't be any gladder.

"Date…" Magoichi lifted his head, meeting Date's lone blue eye, "I've got…one last favor."

"Spit it out."

"Please…apologize…to Masamune…and Keiji…for me." A hand shielded his face for a pretty obvious reason, "They'll be…so pissed…if I don't…y'know?"

"_Hah!_" Date smirked, drawing a single blade as Magoichi, without plainly saying, requested, "You're really somethin', you know that? Alright, if it makes you happy turning me into your slave in the afterlife, I'll humor ya one last time. If I meet you in hell a day later, you'll be greeted by more than one of the Dragon's Claws next time."

Date raised his drawn sword, creating a clear path from above his own head to Mago's neck. Magoichi stood as still as he could, occasionally jerking forward as he coughed his lungs out. His hand shook when he thought what'd be the result of his next move, yet there's no backing down. Letting a comrade die slowly and painfully wasn't what leaders did, even if they weren't men from their clan.

"_See you in hell_, Magoichi."

_**Snrk!**_

-o-x-o-

Riding through the snowy weather of Oshu, Date found it difficult to stop scowling. He "lost" his claw during the trip back home, and turning around and heading back to Sakai was a fool's action. In the place of an old promise, Date acquired a new one, and from the same idiot who entered his life as fast as he left.

"You better be laughing it up down in hell or I'll go down there and kill ya myself." Date said to no one in particular, "I'm ruler of Oshu, not your promise runner."

* * *

"Maeda."

…

"Maeda, wake up."

…..what….

"Maeda."

Keiji's eyes squinted open as he grunted awake. "What the…"

"Masamune-sama has ordered your release."

Hearing that made the vagabond bolt upright. "H-he's back!" Keiji's eyes widened as he looked straight into Kojuuro's. "What happened? W-where's Magoichi? Tell me, Migime!"

Keiji's voice was broken; it was obvious he was panicking. Kojuuro was at a loss for words and just hung his head, closing his eyes in what looked like remorse. The vagabond gritted his teeth at the silent response of the other man and balled his hands into shaking fists. He tried again, "Tell me!"

No answer.

"Where's Masamune? Let me talk to him—!"

"Here, Keiji," a familiar cool voice sounded from behind them.

Keiji turned to see Date back, and noticed a different hilt from one of his six blades. His face didn't look promising, and his eye seemed even more sober than it was hours ago. Keiji didn't want to confirm it. It would hit him like a thousand arrows raining upon him. But the thought escaped his mouth:

"Dokuganryuu. Where is Magoichi?"

He tried to keep his voice steady as he stared into Date's lone eye. And the dragon just stared right back, his mouth not uttering a word. Not a damn word. And the silence was killing the vagabond.

"Dokuganryuu—"

"He's in Sakai."

Keiji was taken aback by the abrupt reply. "Sakai?" he wondered. "What is he doing there?"

"He's gone home, Keiji," Date continued, his cold stare unwavering as he spoke. "And he wanted to apologize to you and his lord."

"Apologize?" Keiji repeated. "Apologize for what?" Something sharp felt like it was pressed into his heart as he waited for the answer—which Date won't give him verbally.

"Why don't you visit him, huh? He'd love to see you." And just like before he left, Date walked past the vagabond, his eyes hidden under the shadow of his crescent-crested helmet. He didn't want to look upon him any longer. It made him sick. The truth behind his actions, the vagabond's cries earlier, the sound of his blade—_everything_. Most of all, he didn't want this man breaking down on him. If he wanted to make a mess, he'd better do it somewhere else. Just not in front of this dragon… or things will get really screwed up. "_GET GOING_."

Keiji knew he wouldn't like what he'll hear. And he didn't. The words that came from the dragon were nauseating. He didn't even mention Magoichi's condition… which could only mean one, _painful_ thing. He didn't want to admit it to himself until he saw with his own eyes. No matter how much it would kill him.

Keiji heard the dragon snarl. "Well, what the hell are you still doing here? _GET OUT_!"

_Dokuganryuu… _Without another word, the vagabond turned and ran off, following an invisible trail to where Date had said Magoichi was in.

Kojuuro stood in front of his lord, inquiring at the dragon's stone cold stature. "Masamune-sama..?"

Date only gritted his teeth and clenched his fists tight. "…_SHIT_."

-o-x-o-

Keiji borrowed an Oshuu horse and rode fast, speeding through pathways in forests, through open fields of golden wheat, through towns and villages. Sakai was just a shot straight from Oshuu, but it was like forever since he left the Date manor. Thing is, though, he wondered what he was chasing after. If what Date's vibes were saying was true, then what is there left to see? Magoichi's… no. Keiji winced at the thought.

This long travel was killing him slowly. Every second felt like knives sticking in him, the sound of the horse's hooves rate the beat of his pounding heart, the wind that used to caress his face now scarred his cheeks with ice-cold shards, and his breath was as coarse as ever. His friend's name echoed over and over in his head, it drove him crazy.

_Magoichi… Magoichi… Magoichi..! Magoichi!_

Something green caught the corner of his eye.

"Magoichi?"

He pulled on the reins and the horse skid to a halt. What was that?

"Magoichi?" Keiji repeated, dismounting the beast. The place had become quite unfamiliar… could this be Sakai already? What did it matter… _He saw Magoichi!_

He let his feet guide the way… and came to a stop in front of a heap of earth, and a strikingly familiar katana. Just then, that same green something flashed before him, and he understood. Keiji, at a loss for words, fell to his knees. This miniature hill, this earthen lump, could be nothing else but a grave. A grave that belonged to a dragon's prey. A grave he never wanted to see so soon.

It was the grave of Saika Magoichi.

Silence ruled over the vagabond for the next fleeting minutes. And then there was heavy breathing. And then gasps came, trembling groans after. Soon it became broken sobs, and as Keiji clutched on the soil, a tear drop followed. Then another… and another… until it soon began to rain.

"…you didn't have to leave like this, ya know…" he said in between sobs, placing a gentle hand on the heap. "…you could've called me when you were in trouble… you didn't have to go like this… you… you didn't have to go in the first place…"

Everything came drifting through him, all those nights that they've spent together over bottles and bottles of sake. He never really said everything, had he? But Keiji did feel that underneath that stern, poker-faced flirt was something… so deep he didn't let anyone jump in. Keiji volunteered to. He was supposed to. He was there. But now that Magoichi was gone… his fall came to an abrupt end. Right in the middle. And here he was, staring at this lump of soil, talking to it like a madman.

And he didn't care. He just sat there and pat that lump. The tears failed to cease.

"Magoichi… you must have been… pretty lonely here, huh…" He figured all his life.

Maybe that was all he could do right now, huh…

A sad smile formed in the vagabond's lips as he finally bent down to whisper,

"Don't worry, Magoichi… I'm not gonna leave you… I told you before, didn't I? I'll stay by your side… So you don't have to be alone anymore… I'm right here… okay?"


End file.
